Remind Me
by herainab
Summary: I agreed to give them the gift of life, in return they've decided to help me find the one. But sometimes if you stop looking, the one comes into your life unexpectedly and reminds you of all the things you didn't realise you missed. An Everlark Valentine's Day story.


"This is so lame." I tell Rye. "What?"

"You setting me up on a date. How on earth did you get this job?" I ask him again as I take a sip of my beer.

"Jill had an important client today, she couldn't be distracted from boobs and skin." Rye says as his phone buzzes again with the stupid dating app they've connected me to. There seems to be more boob shots then actual faces. "I just can't set you up with anyone whose face I haven't seen."

"Is Jill at all jealous that you're seeing all these boobs?" I ask him.

"Not at all. She trusts me enough."

"You two have a weird relationship."

"You're just jealous." Rye claims and looks at his screen. "She's pretty but she's not for you." He tells me. "I'll find you the one Peeta."

"You don't need to do anything for me."

"Try tell Jill that. She gets an idea and you can't stop her." He says. "Besides, you're giving us the gift of life."

"It hasn't worked yet." I say shrugging.

"But it will hopefully." Rye smiles.

I nod and drain the rest of my beer. Rye and Jill had approached me 9 months ago. Rye and I had become somewhat estranged in the past years, our father's death the biggest draw card in our relationship. Rye went off, moving right into the city to pursue his music while I remained in the suburbs to run the family bakery. In 10 years we never saw each other, we kept our distance, avoided family reunions and even with the twenty minutes living apart we never saw each other.

But one day Jill came to the bakery and her friendliness got the better of me and Rye and I reconnected after a dinner where we both ended up crying reminiscing old times. A couple of months later over dinner they asked me if I'd become their donor. At the time my love life was non-existent and the prospect of ever having a family far away. I agreed and Jill became pregnant after the first go.

It ended at 8 weeks breaking our hearts. Jill and Rye decided to marry shortly afterwards and after 6 months have decided to try again with my help.

Jill in return has decided to try and set me up with the one. I'm a heartless romantic but I've lost hope in ever falling in love.

My phone rings while I box some specialty made cupcakes the next day. Rye's name appears on the screen and I call over Bristol to fix up the order.

"Hi."

" _Any plans for tonight?"_

"Netflix and a six pack." I tell him.

" _You need to get out more little brother." He tells me. "I've got a lady for you."_

"Really? What she like?"

" _Red head."_

"What else?"

" _I can't do this now, I'll call you later."_

He texts me the details and I confirm. Nothing too formal, nothing too casual. I could do this.

Rye says he'll walk me through it and he meets me at the bar he plays at regularly.

"I think I'm going to be sick." I tell him.

"You'll be fine." Rye assures me.

"It's been years since I've dated."

"Don't think about it. Just think of it as a get together with a friend. Keep it simple and light." I nod and sip from my beer and turn to the door as it opens. "That's not her." He says. "But this app tells me she's close by."

I grip my beer tighter.

"And here she is." Rye tells me quietly.

I turn around and come eye to eye with my date. Rye tells me she's a model.

"You looked different in your profile picture." The fox-faced model claims. "Total waste of time."

She turns on her heels and is gone from the bar within seconds.

"Hey, come back here!"

"Rye, it's ok. I'm not cut out for this."

"We'll find you someone." Rye assures me. "And no snotty nosed models."

I manage a smile. "Thanks."

Rye sets up at the keyboard and plays the few keys. "Want to hear a song?"

"Not if it's a sappy love song." I tell him.

"Your loss." Rye says and continues to play his tune he's created.

A whirl of dark hair and olive skin rushes into the bar. She's short but I know she could make a grown man cry. She talks to Haymitch behind the bar, ordering a drink before she turns in our direction and makes her way towards us drink in hand.

"Rye."

"Katniss. Thanks for coming down here."

"My pleasure." She tells him. "Show me what you've got."

She sits her glass down on the table and sets her bag and guitar down.

"Katniss this is my brother Peeta."

"Nice to meet you Peeta." Katniss replies smiling. S

he's beautiful. Stunning. Grey eyes. Olive skin. Long, dark hair braided down her back.

"You to." I say and smile at her.

"You sticking around for this song?" She asks, sitting down on the stool.

"No he's not. He's boycotting anything romantic related." Rye informs her.

I narrow my eyes at Rye. "I can maybe stick around for one song."

I catch the hint of a smile on Katniss' lips and smile back at her.

I learn she's a producer. She's been friends with Rye for a few years now and the two of them have developed a close working relationship. Katniss contracting Rye to write songs for other musicians she's working with. She's also a pretty good singer and guitar player. Rye says her voice makes everyone stop to listen. She disagrees.

I buy everyone a round of drinks and the three of us sit around chatting. Katniss loving the song Rye had written for her clueless client.

"Peeta just got stood up." Rye tells her.

"Shut up Rye."

"I'm sorry."

"It was a long shot. Rye and Jill are doing it as some sort of favour to me."

"Well I hope you find someone."

"I don't think I'm cut out for dating." I admit to them both.

"Peeta, don't say that." Rye says. "The right one is just around the corner."

"Maybe." I shrug.

"Rye is right. You'll make anyone fall head over heels for you." Katniss tells me. "I've spent two hours with you and already know you're a great guy."

"And there's no skeletons in his closet either." Rye adds.

"That's a good thing." Katniss laughs.

I sigh and drink from my glass.

A drink and a half later, Rye convinces Katniss to join him on stage for an impromptu mini gig. The Thursday night crowd has grown larger for the game and everyone cheers for the live entertainment.

"Hi all. This is a bit of an impromptu gig so we apologise for the unorganised nature of our set. We hope you're all having a lovely evening." Katniss says into the microphone with a smile.

She owns the stage before she's even opened her mouth to sing. She's got the indie- hippie vibe thing happening and smiles widely before closing her eyes as she focuses on her guitar playing and Rye on the keys.

" _Please lay a little longer_

 _Weight is on my shoulders, holding me down_

 _Some days, it can't get much darker_

 _Feel it more than ever_

 _When you're not around_ _"_

And Rye is right. She makes everyone stop to listen.

" _When I think about love, you are right beside me_

 _I think about us, you will always find me_

 _When my heart is lost, I know that you'll guide me_

 _I think about all the little things that still remind me_ _"_

She looks up at me and smiles and I smile back at her.

And I wonder, what are the chances of Katniss Everdeen going on a date with me?

Rye bails after their set, Jill summoning him home.

"So Peeta, do you have anywhere to be?" She asks with a hopeful smile.

I shake my head and order us another drink each.

We sit in the back corner with our drinks and sometime during our conversation we begin to relay details of past exes and failed dates.

"He was the longest relationship I had. It was the cliché lead singer and the bass player relationship. We dated during the duration of our touring. I caught him in the tour bus with our manager and he told me he had been seeing her on the side."

"What a jerk."

"Yep so I ended that quickly and left the group, ended up with a producing position and things have been looking up since."

"My longest relationship was for about 13 months. I was young still, mid twenties and she was 22. She wanted a lifetime already, house, marriage, 2.5 kids and I still wasn't sure at what I wanted. She broke it off and claimed that I didn't want anything I wanted."

"No one knows what they want at 22." Katniss says.

"Or 30." I add laughing. "I still don't know what I want."

"Me either. Adulthood is hard."

I smile. "So she found a guy soon after and she has three kids and is now divorced to that man. She visited me at the bakery and told me he was still a child and had felt pressured into the kids and marriage. She agreed that she started her family too young."

"I suppose it works for some people." She says with a shrug of her shoulders. "Worked for my sister. Been with the same guy since high school and they've been married for five years and expecting their second child." She tells me. "But she knew what she wanted in life, always has. I was kind of jealous of her and still kind of am."

"It's natural to be jealous of our siblings. I'm kind of jealous of Rye and Jill."

"To siblings." She says holding up her glass.

"To siblings." I say, clinking our glasses together.

We drink, chat and laugh. We laugh at the other patrons, the desperate fifty year man hitting on the twenty year old working the bar, the couple on a blind date almost dry humping each other in the middle of the bar and the two contractors in town scanning the room for someone who they could take home for the night to cheat on their wives with.

It's after midnight when we realise the time.

"I have to be up at 8." Katniss curses. "Shit, I lost track of time."

"Me too." I say. "Sorry."

"It wasn't you Peeta. I liked your company for the night. It has been a nice night."

"Same for me." I tell her. "Can I walk you home at least?"

"That you can do."

I carry her guitar across my back and we walk the few blocks to her apartment. We're tipsy but happy, extremely happy. I push my fists into my jean pockets and feel my arm brush against Katniss'.

"I want to live a life of no bull shitting and cutting to the chase." She admits to me. "I've tried to live this philosophy and I've pissed a lot of people off with it so I've cut back now and I allow myself to be sucked in and agree to things I don't agree with."

"I think being honest is the best way to live." I tell her and she turns to smile at me.

We arrive at her apartment block and stand by the door.

"Tonight was unexpected but has been one of the best nights I've ever had." She tells me with a shy smile.

"Me too. I'm glad I didn't bail at the start of the night." I tell her. "Thanks for keeping me around."

"My pleasure."

I look upwards towards the building and back at Katniss.

"And since I live a life of honesty and cutting to the chase, do you want to do this again sometime?"

My smile grows wider. "I would love that."

She enters her number in my phone and sends herself a message with my number. "I'll text you."

I nod and hand her the guitar back.

"Thank you."

She fishes through her bag for her keys and finds them.

"Goodnight Katniss." I say.

"Goodnight Peeta."

I watch her stick the key into the door before she turns around, capturing my mouth in a hard kiss.

I pull her against my body as we kiss and the softness of her lips makes me feel dizzy.

We break apart and she goes to the door, opening it up and stepping inside. I catch the hint of a smile as she locks the door behind her and I smile back at her.

I walk the few blocks to Rye and Jill's and let myself in as quietly as I can. I kick off my shoes and take off my jacket and pants before falling onto the couch. My phone buzzes and I check to see a message from Katniss.

 _K – Saturday?_

 _P – See you then._

…

"We'll be in the zone on Friday." Jill tells me as she sips her coffee.

I look up from the text from Katniss, "Oh, about that. I won't be able to do Friday night." I tell them.

"Well then Saturday morning."

"Well there's a possibility that my Friday night might turn into Saturday morning." I tell them both sheepishly.

"Are you up to the shagging point with Katniss?" Jill asks.

"Please don't use that word again." I tell Jill as I shudder.

"Are you and Katniss ready for that next step?" She asks again.

I try to suppress my grin. "Maybe."

Katniss and I had been seeing each other for a few weeks now. There'd be plenty of phone calls, texts, drinks and a couple of dinners. And each meet up we became closer. Late night texts we shared everything. Things had shifted at the last date and after a dinner we walked on through the park home, stopping by the fountain and sharing a long, sensual kiss. One that we felt to the tips of our fingers and toes. Something has awoke within me and I know the same has happened to her.

"So, what are you two doing tonight?"

"She's organizing it all." I tell them. "Probably dinner."

Jill smiles. "Well you do know that if we're to go tomorrow, you can't go the full way."

"Jill." Rye says.

"I don't think I can stop myself. Have you seen her?"

"Yes. She's like an goddess." Jill claims. "A lot of guys fake it."

"But I don't want to be that guy, especially when it could be the night."

"Can you postpone until tomorrow night?"

"Can't, she's got her sister's birthday." I tell them.

"We can go now." She says. "I can call Brutus, tell him I'll be half an hour late. It might be a little too early but still could work."

"No. I'll go on my date and tell her we can't do it because I'm helping you two have a baby. I'll make it sound awkwardly charming." I laugh.

"If you're sure."

"Very."

By Friday lunchtime I'm a nervous mess.

"What's gotten into you boss?" Bristol asks.

"Nothing."

"I don't believe that but alright."

I wave her off with a laugh and try to focus on my paperwork.

I head home, showering and dressing up. I grab the bottle of red and the box of chocolate tarts I made specifically for Katniss. It may be a little cliché, being Valentine's weekend and all but she had said I'd have to make her something sometime and even if they sit in her fridge, she'll still have them to try later.

She buzzes me in and I walk up to her apartment. I've been here once before, her allowing me to walk her right to her door after a dinner date.

She's waiting for me at her door with a mischievous smile and I lean down to kiss the smile from her face. Music plays in her apartment and I recognize it from the first night at the bar.

 _These days, reflection's like a stranger  
You are so much braver, braver than me  
Ohh save me, save me from my demons  
Teach me to defeat them  
And leave me at peace_

I study her appearance, her dress that hangs a few inches above her knee. It's pinched underneath the bust and flares out. The white makes her look like a goddess and I urge the blood to go anywhere but south.

"So, where are we going for dinner?" I ask her.

"I couldn't get in anywhere so I thought I'd make us something." She tells me.

"I like home cooked meals." I tell her smiling.

"Me too."

She takes the wine and the tarts and pulls a bottle of red from the fridge to pour into our glasses. I take a greedy sip and set my glass down, wrapping my arms around Katniss' back and pulling her to me. We kiss for a long while and slowly pull apart. She smiles at me and I notice I've mussed up her lipstick. I fix it as best as I can and she kisses me quickly again.

She doesn't even start dinner. We end up on the couch, Katniss straddling my lap and a bottle of wine having been quickly drunk.

"I have a confession to make." She says. "I didn't even both making an a reservation. I just wanted to have you all to myself."

"I like your thinking Everdeen." I reply and kiss her deeply. I shift her so she's on her back and she wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me towards her.

I grab another bottle for us and we drink another glass and a half before we're making out on the couch again.

She reaches for my belt and I freeze.

"Are you alright?" She asks me.

I nod and slowly sit up. "I have a confession to make as well."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" She asks me.

"No, I'm extremely single."

"Are you a virgin?"

"No. Does it seem like that?" I ask her and she shakes her head, suppressing her grin. "No, I'm helping Jill and Rye have a baby." I tell her. "And I'm suppose to be ready to go tomorrow morning which determines how far we go tonight."

"Oh." She says and I pray that I haven't scared her away.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." She tells me with a smile. "I think it's a nice thing you're doing."

"So it's not weird for you? I mean, I'm ultimately conceiving a child."

"Not at all." She says. "I think it's wonderful. I know they're longing for a child."

"I'll be Uncle Peeta, that's all."

She smiles. "So what do you do?"

"Jill tells me when she's in the zone, I make the deposit and when I'm ready I knock on the door and get out of there as quickly as I can."

I watch a seductive smile cross her face. She gets up from the couch, picks up a pair of shoes, her jacket and her bag.

"Come on." She tells me.

"Where are we going?"

"Grab the wine."

We stumble onto the front porch and burst inside the house laughing, startling Rye and Jill who are on the couch.

"Ten minutes." I tell them, pinching Katniss' waist causing her to giggle loudly. "Get the stuff ready."

"What?" Jill asks.

"We'll be in the spare room." I tell them, pointing upwards.

We stumble up the stairs and I press Katniss against the wall, kissing her. I pull her towards me, our cores aligned and she moans at the feel of me.

"Get the stuff!" Jill urges Rye.

I throw Katniss down onto the bed and grin wickedly at her as I undo my belt and slacks, my slacks falling down off of my hips. I kick my shoes off and crawl towards her on the bed. She lies underneath me and I kiss her, licking a path down her throat, her chest and across the swells of her breasts.

"Here." I hear Rye say. "Learn to close a door little brother."

I flip him off and kiss Katniss deeper. We're bathed in the darkness and I switch the bedside lamp on.

My hands trail up Katniss' legs and underneath her dress. I groan against her lips at the lack of underwear.

"Why didn't I realise you were bare?"

"You're too much of a gentleman." She tells me with a grin.

I groan and bite her lip as I hike the fabric up of her dress. She works the buttons of my shirt and leaves my shirt on as she traces her hands down the panes of my chest and to my hips, my slacks are pushed down my legs and I kick them off. She rolls us so she's on top and grinds down into me.

"This is about you Peeta." She whispers to me. "Let's focus on you."

"But…"

She places a finger on my lips silencing me and kisses a path down my chest.

"We'll focus on me next." She tells me as she reaches my belly button.

Her hands are on my boxers next and she dips a hand inside, brushing against my length that seems to swell more. She smirks at me and trails her finger down my length.

"Please." I urge her.

She peels my boxers down over my hips, exposing me and I swallow the lump in my throat. The look in her eyes, the lust and the lick of her lips is enough to make me twitch.

She wraps a hand around my length and I tense at the feeling of her soft hand wrapped around me. She leans down to kiss my lips and grabs my hands, bringing it to her dress and urging me to grab a handful of the fabric and hold it up at her hips. She takes me back in her hand and I watch her lift her hips and she guides my length along her slick folds slowly. I grip both her hips and buck upwards. She runs my length through her slick folds again and I groan in pleasure.

"You're so wet for me already." I whisper.

She nods and sits back towards my knees and pumps me in her hand, using her own juices to coat my length. I've completely become victim to her. She's a vixen. She's got me in a spell and I'm happy to let her have her way.

"Let me touch you."

She grabs my hand and brings it to her own heat but I let her set the pace. I touch her softly and watch her bite her lip. She's so ready for me, I'm ready to deal with the deposit and then blow her mind.

She bends over me and takes me in her mouth, her head bobbing up and down my length. She guides my hand over her heat, not allowing my fingers to enter her and using her other hand to touch the rest of my length and my sack.

"Tell me when you're ready." She says after she's let me go with a pop. She licks my tip and I feel a twitch deep inside my sack.

"I think I'm ready." I tell her.

She gets up off of me and grabs the dish from the floor. She sits on her haunches beside me and watches me deposit into the dish.

"And that's it?" She asks.

I nod. "I go and give it to them and return to you so we can finish what we started."

I hike my boxers back up and carry the dish and baster to their bedroom, knocking on the door. By the sounds of their moans they're close.

"Piano fingers." I hear Jill say to Rye and I wince before racing back to the spare room.

I shut the door behind me and see Katniss completely naked on the bed. She beckons me forward and I kneel beside the bed, grabbing her hips and pulling her towards me, resting her thighs on my shoulders.

I don't stuff about. I trace my tongue along her heat and anchor her withering hips down on the bed.

I have her coming minutes later, screaming out my name as she pulls at the locks of my hair.

"Holy shit." She mumbles. "You're good."

I look up at her and grin and she brings my face towards her to kiss me.

"Let's go back to my place." She whispers. "I'm starving."

I hold her hand as we walk back to her house, feeling surprisingly sober and incredibly happy.

We fall into her bed and she kisses me again, softly and tenderly. She tastes of the chocolate tarts and sweet red wine.

"You're an amazing brother." She whispers.

"I feel like I owe him."

"Why?"

"We were estranged for almost ten years. I got along with my father better and he got along with my mother. Our parents divorced when we were in high school and Mom got custody of us. It was like we took sides in the divorce. Once he finished high school he moved into the city to try and make it as a musician. Mom let me stay with Dad and we hardly heard from Rye. Dad got sick when I was 19 and I reached out to Rye to help me but he never returned my calls. Dad went downhill quickly and I became his caregiver. Dad died when I was 21 and Rye showed up to the funeral drunk and we got into a fight at the wake. He left straight after and I took charge of the bakery. We just lived separate lives and I didn't bother contacting him or reaching out to him. So when Jill and Rye asked me to be there donor I knew saying yes was the right thing. It was to make up for the years of silence and for me being a dickhead."

"Did he apologise?"

"He did." I reply. "In return they were going to help me find someone and they did, unintentionally."

Katniss smiles from year to year. "Nice coincidence, wasn't it?"

"A lovely one." I laugh. "But also in return I get to see my brother happy and start a family. I think that's the greatest gift, seeing your loved ones happy."

Katniss nods in response, she knows the happiness children have brought her sister.

"And being an aunt or uncle is pretty rewarding." She tells me. "I love my nephew." She smiles. "I hope this works for them."

"Me too."

…

I meet her family the next night. Her parents are welcoming and over the top. They ask plenty of questions and interrogate me, making sure I'm right for their daughter. Her sister Prim is friendly and offers me an escape from their interrogating.

"I feel like I'm in high school again." I admit to her as we stand outside on the balcony, overlooking the wharf.

"They're like that but they can see how happy you've made Katniss." Prim tells me. I watch her rub her stomach. "But as her sister, I do have to ask. What are your intentions with my sister?"

I blush at the thought of telling Prim.

"I seriously think I'm in love with her." I admit and look inside Katniss as she tickles her nephew. "And it's embarrassing to admit this to her sister before I've even said it the actual girl." I laugh, scrubbing the back of my neck.

Prim touches my shoulder and smile. "I can see how much you're crazy about her. Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret."

"Thanks Prim."

"But if you do break her heart I will come after you."

"Understood."

Katniss joins us quickly after with Billy, Prim's son.

"What are you two talking about?"

"The bakery. Prim wanted to know if I made those goat cheese tarts." I tell Katniss with Prim nodding in confirmation.

"I don't know if I like dating a baker, you're going to make me fat."

I smile and wrap an arm around her shoulder. "You'd still be beautiful to me."

"Of you two are making me sick." Prim claims. "Come on Billy, let's leave Aunt Katniss and Peeta alone so they can kiss each other."

"Ucky!" Billy screeches with a wide grin.

"Oh I'm saving all my kisses for Billy." Katniss says and covers her nephew in kisses, causing loud giggles to escape his throat.

"Stop Katty. Stop. Tickles."

She eventually stops and Billy leans against Katniss' shoulder laughing.

"Oh you're a cutie Billy." Prim tells him and kisses her son. "Come on big boy. Let's see what Daddy is doing."

Prim takes Billy from Katniss and they head back into the party. I lean against the railing, looking out over the wharf, watching the lighthouse lights guide those boats into shore.

"What's on your mind?" She asks me, leaning beside me.

"It's such a beautiful night." I tell her.

"It is. It's so calm and quiet, there's a sort of beautiful nature to it."

I wrap an arm around her shoulders and kiss her cheek.

I enjoy the birthday dinner. I learn more about her family and Katniss herself. It warms me to see how close her family is. How they interact with one another. How there are no differences or hostility between them all. She fits in well with them and I see how much they love her.

Billy clambers onto his aunt's lap and Katniss cuddles him for the remainder of the night. I watch him fall asleep in her arms and peacefully as well. His cheek resting on her shoulder, his body wrapped around the front of hers. She's a natural and I can see how much they love each other.

I caress Billy's hair softly and Katniss smiles up at me. A proud one almost.

And I smile back as proudly and fond of her. A feeling sets itself deep inside of me. A want almost. A need. A dream.

I lean over and kiss her softly, cupping her face between my hands.

I help her getting Billy into his car seat, she lifts him up into the SUV and into his car seat and straps him in, kissing him on the forehead as he stirs.

"Go back to sleep little one." She whispers to him. There's no doubt how good of a mother she'd be.

She asked to stay at my house tonight and I happily obliged. I allow the moon to guide us throughout my house as I show her around.

"You're only twenty minutes from the city and you got the stars and the moon." She exclaims, looking out the big windows out into the woods. My house backs onto the woods. "I miss this so much."

I wrap my arms around her waist and we stare out the windows and into the dark woods.

I edge her dress straps off of her shoulders and down her arms. The dress slips slightly and she lifts her arms behind her, wrapping them around my neck and she turns her head to kiss me. I capture her lips passionately and roam my hands over her body. She grinds upwards into me and moans against my lips.

I urge her hips apart and push her dress up to her hips and pushing aside her thong, my fingers finding her heat. She bites my lip and I press harder against her nub. She pulls away leaning her head against my shoulder and mewls at my touch. I kiss a path along her shoulder and suck of her collarbone, drawing more mewls from her.

I turn us slight and she braces her hands against the wall and I push the front of her dress down, exposing her breasts. I release my hand from her panties and undo my zipper and pants, pushing them and my boxers down. I pinch her nipple as I pump myself a few times. She waits in anticipation, panting loudly. I push aside her thong and draw myself through her slick folds a few times, feeling her tense and hearing the low moan sounding from deep inside of her.

"Please." She begs.

I enter into her roughly and pull back out before plunging back into her. She throws her head backwards, her mouthing parting in a wide O. I bite the shell of her ear as I push deep into her.

"Fuck."

I smirk against her cheek and slip all the way out. I leave her waiting for my next movement and I don't move for 8 whole seconds before plunging back up into her.

I feel her insides squeeze me tightly and I almost lose it.

"Do that again." I urge her.

"Play with me." She pants back.

"What do you want me to touch? Yours tits? Or your clit?"

Her eyes roll back into her head as I plunge deeper inside her, urging her right leg up and wrapping to backwards around my back.

"Clit." She pants out.

I rub her above her panties, the material of her panties hitting the sensitive nub.

"Oh fuck."

"Squeeze me with your tight pussy."

It's a quick response, squeezing me tightly and it causes me to twitch in response. I squeeze her nipple, squeezing her breast roughly and plunge back into her.

I feel my balls tighten as she squeezes me again and moans out loud.

"Tell me what you want?"

"Slow and deep." She tells me. "I'm almost there."

I lift her off the ground and slip back into her slowly and deeper than I had been before.

The grandfather clock sounds from downstairs and her head falls back and she squeezes her eyes shut as she screams out my name.

She pulls me over the edge with her and I come quickly, filling her with my seed. I brace my hands beside hers on the wall and try to slow my breathing down.

"That was fucking incredible." She pants out.

I kiss the column of her throat and the underside of her jaw before I finally find her mouth. Pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.

"You're incredible."

Her olive skin is bathed in the silvery moonlight and I want nothing then to lay her on my bed and watch her sleep with the moon bathing her skin.

"Happy Valentine's Day." I whisper against her lips.

I pull her to my bedroom and let her use the bathroom to clean up. I undress, laying out my clothes and slip under the covers naked. She reappears also nude. Her hair is mussed up, her face free from the small amount of make up she applied for the dinner. The moon hits her skin and I feel myself grow hard at the sight of her.

She's a goddess with or without clothes on. She's breathtaking and has this effect on me.

She's the goddess of night. Owning the moon, the stars and the galaxy.

"Come to bed."

She slips in beside me and presses her chest against mine, running her fingers through my hair and over my face.

She closes her eyes, humming for us and I close my eyes with the softness of her tune. It's relaxing and makes me sleepy.

"Sing for me." I whisper.

And she does.

" _So think about love, and you're right beside me_

 _I think about us, I know that you'll find me_

 _When my heart gets lost, I know that you'll guide me_

 _I think about all the little things that still remind me_

 _I think about all the little things that still remind me_

 _All my life_

 _You'll remind me"_

I kiss her softly when she finishes singing and I draw her body closer to mine.

"Peeta."

"Hmm?"

"Would you want children in your future?"

"Maybe. I hadn't really thought about it or had found the woman who I wanted to have children with." I tell her, opening my eyes to meet her silvery eyes. "What about you?"

"Maybe." She replies.

"You're good with Billy."

"I love that kid."

"I can see how much you do." I tell her. "He's lucky to have you."

She smiles softly and kisses me quickly. "Happy Valentine's Day Peeta."

…

"Such a cliché. Everyone is going to know the baby was conceived over Valentine's Day weekend." I tell her.

"I think it's kind of romantic." She replies. "It could have just been a coincidence as well."

"Yes, accidental sex on Valentine's Day weekend."

She laughs. "You're not making it sound any better."

"Sorry." I apologise and kiss her lips.

We hear footsteps sound down the hallway and we look up at Rye who stands in the hospital issued scrubs. He has a wide smile on his face.

"We have a girl." He announces with a beaming smile.

I pick my brother up off of the ground to congratulate him and set him back down before hugging him. Katniss embraces him, congratulating him on his new daughter.

"Would you like to come and meet her?" Rye asks us.

I look at Katniss and she nods with a beaming smile.

"Come on then. They've just got Jill back in her room."

We're lead through the floor and to Jill's room. I feel my heart beat faster and butterflies fill my stomach.

I was meeting my niece. My niece only. One day she'll know I'm her father but for now, it was my niece.

My brother had started his family.

"If you want a minute alone, I can give you it." Katniss tells me.

I ponder this, ponder the time alone to meet my biological daughter but Katniss was a part of this. She was there that night, helping to create my brother's family.

"No. I want to meet her the same time as you."

I grasp her hand and step into the room. Jill sits up in bed looking into the bassinet beside her bed.

"Congratulations." Katniss says to Jill hugging her and kissing her. "We don't have your present just yet."

"That's fine. I'm glad you guys could both be here."

I congratulate Jill and grip Katniss' hand as I hear the baby stir.

"Come and meet her." Rye invites us. "She's kind of awesome."

We step around the bed and to the bassinet where the newborn lies. She fights her swaddling and fights to keep her eyes closed.

I gasp at the sight of her and feel my heart flutter at the sight of her.

Katniss smiles at the baby and squeezes my hand tighter.

"She's so beautiful." She says.

I manage to nod.

"Hold her." Rye tells me.

I place my hands under her neck and bottom and lift the baby out of the bassinet and into my arms. She's tiny. So tiny and beautiful.

And so much like her mother.

"Hi baby." I greet her quietly. "Welcome to the world little one."

"She got a name yet?" Katniss asks.

"Isabelle Grace."

"Hi Isabelle." Katniss says to the newborn, running her fingers over the baby's cheeks and hands. "We're so glad you're here."

But I don't feel anything. Don't feel as if this is my daughter. This is Rye's daughter. She's just someone I helped bring into the world but I definitely don't have a claim on her.

I know one day she'll ask questions about her true parentage and we'll answer them, giving her the truth but I'm happy to right now just be her uncle and her uncle only.

I shift the baby into Katniss' arms and watch as Katniss tenderly embraces Isabelle. She has love in her eyes and that same smile she had when she held her niece Amy a few months ago. That smile that came with imagining her own family.

There'd been plenty of talks of babies and children. Of our future. She had unofficially moved in with me and wasn't afraid to talk about our future together. She hadn't been since we both told each other 'I love you' a couple of weeks after Valentine's Day.

She was the woman I wanted to create my family with.

In bed that night I turn and ask her as the moonlight filters into the room, making her skin look rich under the silvery light.

"Do you want to try for a baby?"

And her smile is the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.

And exactly 9 months later we stare down at our own daughter as the moonlight streams into our hospital room and bathes us with the same silvery light I had fallen in love with 18 months ago.


End file.
